1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to novelty greeting card items, and more particularly, to novelty greeting card items which are unfoldable from a flat configuration to self-form a container.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A large variety of novelty greeting cards that can be folded into flat configurations for convenient mailing in an envelope and unfolded to self-form various types of novelty items are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,906,058 discloses a greeting card having four rectangular panels, each hingeably connected to another. A bellows is provided between two of the panels and operates in conjunction with a whistle mounted in a hole formed in one of the panels, so that when the greeting card is opened and closed, the bellows draws in and expels air through the whistle, creating an audible sound. U.S. Pat. No. 3,010,246 discloses a self-forming figure that can be folded into a flat configuration for placement in an evelope, but which, upon release, automatically springs open to form a three-dimensional figure. Greeting card indicia are provided on various rectangular surfaces of the device. U.S. Pat. No. 2,344,437 discloses a combined greeting card and container. Multiple purpose novelty items capable of functioning both as containers and toys can be very useful in marketing certain kinds of products, as parents will frequently buy such products partly in order to obtain the novelty item as a toy for their children.